Disconnecting block



March 12, 192 9. 1-, B|RKENMA|ER 1,704,961

DISCONNECTING BLOCK Original Filed Aug. 9. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 12, 1929. T. BIRKENMAIER 1,104,961

DISCONNECTING BLOCK Original Filed Aug. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE IBIBKENMAIEB, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB TO -w. N. MATTHEWS CORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 01 MISSOURI.

DISCONNEC'IING BLOCK Application filed August 9, 1926, Serial This invention relates to disconnecting blocks and with regard to certain more specific features to a disconnecting hinge block for fuses, switches and the like.

Among the several ob ects of the invent on may be noted the provision of a disconnecting hinge block which is adapted to permit safe, fast and positive manipulation thereof in remote and inaccessible positions of said block and in precarious positions of the operator thereof; and the provision of a device of the class described which is relatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture. Other objects will be in part obvious and 111 part pointed out hereinafter. I

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations tures of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. 0

In the accompanying drawings, in which s illustrated one of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the improved hinge block applied to a fuse cartridge and in position on an insulating hanger;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevationof the block portion showing certain alternate positions of elements thereof; Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a. bottom plan view of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a terminal piece;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the hinge block assembly in normal connected position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing in solid lines an abnormal connected position, and in dotted lines an alternate disconnected position; and,

Fig. 8 is a left side elevation of the hinge element shown in Fig. 7.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly'to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated at numeral 1 a conventional cross arm adapted to support an insulator bracket 3. The insulators 5 of the bracket 3 support arms 7 which have bolted thereto pairs of terminal spring clips 9. These clips are of the class which engage two sides of a connecting of elements, fea- No. 128,082. Renewed August 17, 1928.

member by means of a plurality of spring engaging fingers.

Bolted between each set of clips 9 and its respective arm 7 is a terminal piece 11 (see Figs. 1 and 5). Each piece 11 is provided with outwardly bent ears 13. 7 These ears have openings 15 therein for the purpose of receiving connecting bolts, whereby one or more leads may be fastened to the each terminal piece.

Between the lowermost terminal piece 11 andits respective arm 7 is held a hinge member 17. This member 17 is provided with flanges 19 for the purpose of engaging the substantially straight sides of the arm 7, thereby retaining said hinge member 17 in the predetermined position shown in the drawings.

The hinge member or hingel? has a flat portion 21 adapted to flatly engage said arm 7 This portion has a proper opening therein for permitting passage of the bolt which holds'the arm 7 hinge 1?, terminal 11 and clip 9 together. Reference to Fig. 5 shows that the terminal piece 11 also has such an opening. The hinge also comprises a pair of downwardly hooked arms 23 and a lip 25 extending from said flat portion 21 and between said hooked arms 23.

A fuse cartridge 27 carries a fuse 29 which is adapted to electrically connect the spring terminal clips 9. This fuse is removably connected to an upper metallic block 31 which is provided with proper parallel faces for engaging the resilient spring clips 9. A stud 33 removably retains the fuse in position with said upper block 31. This block is also provided with a suitable bridge portion 35 which may be hooked by the end of a suitable insulating tool 37, so that an operator may draw the block 31 from the upper clip 9 without physically engaging current carrying memers.

The di-electric cartridge 27 is held to the block member 33 by a suitable set screw and is fastened in alike manner to a lower improved form of hollow terminal hinge block 39. This block 39 comprises a hollow malleable casting having substantially flat parallel faces 41 for the purpose of engaging the resilient spring clips 9. Below and with the faces 41 is formed a body portion 43 from which extend sidewa gudgeons 45 for the purpose plf t e hingedl en g the hinge member 17 at hooked porl z bf the arms 23. On one face of the body 43 is provided a V tap ed surface adapted to receive a set screw 46 or holding the lower end of said fuse 29.

The fuse asses from the hollow interior of the cartri ge-27, through the hollow body 23, between two lugs 47, and is forked under the head of said screw 45, whereby it may be connected. The lugs also serve other purposes hereinafter to be. described. I order to prevent the set screw' from coming completely out of its screw hole when unfastened, a spur 49 is cast with the body 43,

' ,in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig.

2. After the set screw is applied to the screw hole, the spur 49- is put into its solid line position by striking it a blow, whereupon it limits the travel of the set screw 46.- Hence the screw may be unfastened but it is impossible to unscrew it to such an extent that it will drop to the ground. 'This is of great advantherebetween. The said lugs 47 which are formed oppositely to the 'toe 53, it may be noted, have no corresponding space such as left above them. This particular arrangement of elements is provided for several reasons, which are as follows:

Heretofore when line men applied their tools 37 to the bridge member 35 and drew down the upper block 33' tov disconnect'the fuse, the'purpose was to swing the fuse down whereupon it would theoretically be left hang- 1ngwiththegudgeons45 in the curved portions of the arms 23. It hasbeen found however,

that under certain conditions of tightness at the lower spring clips 9, the fuse cartridge would tend to pivot at said clips such as at a point X-(see Figs. 6 and 7). This wasiespec ally true where the cartridges were not vertically mounted and where the pull required 1n opening the device did not supply enough component of force to positively put the gudgeons in position at the curved portions of the arms 23. Hence, under certain circnmstances, such after the blowing of a fuse when the cartridge had been raised to a position at or near t he solid line position shown in Fig. 7, the downward swing with the pivot point at X resulted in the gudge 45 swinging out from the curved portions of the arms 23 as illustrated bythe arrow in Fig. 7. The result was that as soon as both sets of clips 9 had been cleared by the blocks 33 and 59, the cartridge would fall to the ground domg injury to the cartridge or perhaps bystanders below. The line mah was also forced to climb down and retrieve the cartridge.

-to enter the passage Y.

The described conditions were aggravated where cartridges were positioned horizontal- 1y because no component of the opening pull 1 The arrangement of "parts as hereinbefore described overcomes these difficulties. First, the upper arcuate edge 57 of the nose 51 is adapted to engage the lip 25 (if the fuse is raised such as when blown). that although the gudgeons 45 are raisedto such a position that they might ordinarily leave the curved portion of the arms 23, they will never do so, because pivoting about the point of friction X is substantiall prevented y the cooperation of nose 51 wit the lip 25. The result is that as the cartridge is being rotated to disconnect the body portion 43 or pulled down by the method shown-in Fig. 1, that is, from its solid line position in Fig- 7 to its dotted line position in'Fig. 7, the gudgeons will always remain within the compass [of the curved portions of the arms 23. Hence as the cartridge is permitted to swing downwardly under action (bf gravity it will always remain suspended from the hinge member 17.

At the same time this particular construction forces the operator to apply the cartridge in its correct position. This is by reason of This means the fact that the only way in which to bring the gudgeons 45 into a position whereby they .may pass through the opening Y of the arms 23 is to bring the notch or recess 55 into cooperation with the lip 25 while the cartridge 4 I is held more or less at a substantial angle with respect to the general direction of the arms 25-. The gudgeons may then be drawn forwardly and sunk into the curved portions of the arms 23 by way of said openings Y (see dotted lines Fig. 7 It is evident that if the cartridge is inadvertently turned upside down that no notch (similar to notch 55) is avail.- able above the lugs 47 for permitting cooperation with the lip 25. The result is that the gudgeons 45 cannot be brought high enough The operator is never permitted to hook in his cartridge in a wrong position after which he might be apt to break it if the mistake were not realized.

tational action, as has heretofore been the case.

It is evident from the above that this invention provides a hinge block which is absolutely proof against the ordinary contingencies which have heretofore made the installation of fuse cartridges an expensive and time-consuming operation. This is done by improvements in a single casting and other simple cooperating features. It is to be understood that the improvements herein set forth may also be used with switch bars or like connecting members between the blocks 33 and 39 instead of the described fuse connecting member.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A disconnecting block assembly for fuses,

- switches and the like comprising a hinge memher, a body portion for holding a connecting member adapted to electrically cooperate with terminal clips, gudgeons on said body portion adapted to hingedly support said body portion in the hinge member, means for applying and removing the gudgeons of the body portion to and from the hinge member, and means for positively preventing a dis connection between the hi ge member and the gudgeoned body portion when said body portion is being rotated to disconnect from said clips, said last-named means comprising a lug on said body portion adapted to co operate with an element of the hinge member, whereby substantial relative rotation of the body portion at said clips is prevented.

2. A disconnecting block assembly for fuses, switches and the like comprising a hinge member, a body portion for holding a connecting member adapted to electrically cooperate with terminal clips, gudgeons on said body portion adapted to hingedly support said body portion in the hinge member, means for applying and removing the gudgeons of the body portion to and from the hinge member, and means for positively preventing a disconnection between the hinge member and the gudgeoned body portion when said body portion is being rotated to named means also being adapted to require a predetermined proper application of the body portion to the hinge member.

3. A disconnecting assembly comprising a hinge member, a body portion adapted to cooperate with terminal clips, means for hingedly and removably supporting the body portion on the hinging member, and means for positively preventing disconnection between the hinge member and body portion when said body is being rotated to disconnect from said clips, said last-named means being adapted to prevent substantial relative rotation of the body portion with respect to the hinge portion at said clips.

4. A disconnecting assembly comprising a hinge member, a body portion adapted to cooperatewith terminal clips, means for hingedly and removably supporting the body portion on the hinging member, and means for positively preventing disconnection between the hinge member and body portion when said body is being rotated to disconnect from said clips, means on the body for holding a circuit closing member, and means for limiting the movement of said holding means to prevent inadvertent dropping thereof, whereby said assembly is made completely safe for manipulation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 6th day of August, 1926.

THEODORE BIRKENMAIER. 

